Keyed weight system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a system which prevents weights from being misplaced within an exercise environment. The system prevents a weight from being placed in an incorrect position of a weight rack. By using a keyed weight and weight rack the user is required to place the weight correctly in order for the weight to properly seat on the weight rack. The weights are keyed in such a way as to allow use on any properly sized dumbbell or barbell whilst limiting placement on an incorrect weight rack. This system eliminates the need to sort weights and therefore drastically reduces the amount of effort required to maintain the weight system in addition to reducing the time which is required to locate a specific weight plate.

BACKGROUND

Weight lifting exercises generally requires the use of weight plates. These weight plates typically are circular in shape and have a circular opening in the center to receive a corresponding barbell or dumbbell. When these traditional weight plates are not in use they are stored on a weight rack which has a circular shaped receiving end. The process of sorting weight plates is time consuming and difficult. The usual process includes numerous steps, a lot of physical labor, and large amounts of time.

A major problem for fitness facilities is the storage and sorting of these weight plates. Given the identical shape which each of the weight racks incorporates it is possible and common for a user to place a weight plate on an incorrect weight rack. Once a weight plate is incorrectly placed it is necessary for the weight to be moved in order to access the correctly sized weight plates; this creates the possibility for injury while moving the incorrectly placed weight plates.

Without a system to control the incorrect placement of weight plates constant monitoring is required by the owner of the location where the weight plates are used. The weight plate system of the present disclosure addresses the need which has been present in the fitness industry.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a less time consuming, manually intensive method of insuring proper weight plate organization.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to an improved weight plate and corresponding weight rack that may be used to better organize weight plates. A weight lifting system is provided having a specially design weight plate, a dumbbell, and a weight rack.

An embodiment of the weight plate system having a geometrically keyed central bore is provided. The weight plate comprises a weight plate body, a first side, and a second side. The weight plate further comprises a central bore extending through the weight plate body. The central bore is geometrically keyed to fit a receiving end on a weight rack.

An embodiment of the weight plate system having a weight rack is provided. The weight rack comprises a base, a vertical member connected to said base, and a geometrically keyed receiver connected to said vertical member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment and a presently preferred method of the invention. These drawings, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and method given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the weight plate of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight plate of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight rack of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight rack of the invention showing an embodiment of a weight plate in position on the weight rack;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of alternative embodiments of the weight plate of the invention.

DESCRIPTION

In the Summary above and in the Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features [including method steps] of the invention. It is so understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.

The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more other components.

Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).

The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined}. For example “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable then being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a weight plate comprises a cylindrical section of material 101, said cylindrical section of material having a plurality of handles 102, said cylindrical section of material having a keyed center bore 103.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, an embodiment of a weight rack comprises, a vertical member 302, having a keyed horizontal member 301 connected to said vertical member 302 to allow a weight plate 401 having a keyed bore 402, to be stored on said horizontal member 301.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plan view of alternative embodiments of the weight plate of the invention shows potential alternative embodiments of said weight plate.

The present invention stops an incorrect embodiment of the weight plate of the invention from being placed on an unmatched embodiment of the weight rack of the invention. In order to utilize the invention, an embodiment of the weight plate of the invention is placed on a matching keyed horizontal member of a weight rack. The keyed horizontal member of the weight rack limits a user from placing a weight plate on an incorrect weight rack and eliminates the need to sort weight plates in an exercise equipment.

In some embodiments of the invention, multiple embodiments of the weight plate of the invention and multiple embodiments of the weight rack of the invention are utilized to form an entire set of keyed weight plates and weight racks having keyed horizontal members. By creating a set of keyed weight plates and keyed weight racks it is possible to provide a keyed weight plate for each different weight in a weight set at a gym, or in another exercise environment.

The previously described versions of the present invention have many advantages, including eliminations or reduction of sorting by staff members at exercise establishments, reduced labor requirements, reduced complexity in sorting weight plates, and increased ease of use when dealing with numerous weight plates.

The invention does not require that all of the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention.

Embodiments of the Present Invention

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example the weight plate shown has equally spaced handles but the weight plate could easily have irregularly spaced handles or lack handled altogether, or the keyed central bore of the weight plate, which is shown as one shape, could be replaced with any other geometric shape of sufficient size. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features service the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A weight plate for mounting on a barbell or dumbbell, comprising: a weight plate body having a central bore, a first side, and a second side; and said central bore being keyed with a geometric pattern.
 2. The weight plate of claim 1 wherein said geometric pattern is geometrically regular.
 3. The weight plate of claim 1 wherein said central bore is a star shape with a plurality of points.
 4. The weight plate of claim 1 wherein said weight plate body includes a plurality of handles.
 5. The weight plate of claim 1 wherein said plurality of handles are holes in the weight plate body.
 6. A weight rack for mounting a weight plate, comprising: a base, a vertical member, a horizontal member attached to said vertical member, said horizontal member having a geometrically keyed receiver.
 7. The weight plate of claim 6 wherein said geometrically keyed receiver is keyed with a star shape with a plurality of points.
 8. The weight plate of claim 6 wherein said geometrically keyed receiver is keyed with a geometrically regular pattern. 